rj.acrownofswords-第42部分

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orn；　how　much　more　they　must　preserve　the　Amyrlin　Seat。　Lelaine　sounded　almost　regretful；　most　likely　because　she　was　agreeing　with　Romanda。　That　had　nearly　curdled　both　their　tongues。　Without　them；　both　of　them；　the　lesser　consensus　lay　as　far　out　of　reach　as　the　greater。　Light；　even　that　declaration　of　war　only　required　the　lesser　consensus！　So　if　she　could　not　obtain　permission。。。
　　　Leane　cleared　her　throat。　〃You　can　hardly　do　much　if　you　go　in　secret；　Mother；　and　the　Hall　will　find　out；　soon　or　late。　I　think　you　would　find　it　difficult　to　have　an　hour　to　yourself　after　that。　Not　that　they'd　dare　put　a　guard　on　you；　precisely；　but　there　are　ways。　I　can　quote　examples　from。。。　certain　sources。〃　She　never　mentioned　the　hidden　records　directly　unless　they　were　behind　a　ward。
　　　〃Am　I　so　transparent？〃　Egwene　asked　after　a　moment。　There　were　only　wagons　around　them　here；　and　beneath　the　wagons　the　dark　mounds　of　sleeping　wagon　drivers　and　horse　handlers　and　all　the　rest　needed　to　keep　so　many　vehicles　moving。　It　was　remarkable　just　how　many　conveyances　over　three　hundred　Aes　Sedai　required；　when　few　would　condescend　to　ride　even　a　mile　in　wagon　or　cart。　But　there　were　tents　and　furnishings　and　foodstuffs；　and　a　thousand　things　needed　to　keep　the　sisters　and　those　who　served　them。　The　loudest　sounds　here　were　snores；　a　chorus　of　frogs。
　　　〃No；　Mother；〃　Leane　laughed　softly。　〃I　just　thought　what　I　would　do。　But　it's　well　known　I've　lost　all　my　dignity　and　sense；　the　Amyrlin　Seat　can　hardly　take　me　for　a　model。　I　think　you　must　let　young　Master　al'Thor　go　as　he　will；　for　a　time　anyway；　while　you　pluck　the　goose　that's　in　front　of　you。〃
　　　〃His　way　may　lead　us　all　to　the　Pit　of　Doom；〃　Egwene　muttered；　but　it　was　not　an　argument。　There　had　to　be　a　way　to　pluck　that　goose　and　still　keep　Rand　from　making　dangerous　mistakes；　but　she　could　not　see　it　now。　Not　frogs；　those　snores　sounded　like　a　hundred　saws　cutting　logs　full　of　knots。　〃This　is　as　bad　a　spot　for　a　soothing　walk　as　I've　ever　visited。　I　think　I　might　as　well　go　to　bed。〃
　　　Leane　tilted　her　head。　〃In　that　case；　Mother；　if　you　will　forgive　me；　there's　a　man　in　Lord　Bryne's　camp。。。　After　all；　whoever　heard　of　a　Green　without　even　one　Warder？〃　From　the　sudden　quickening　in　her　voice；　you　might　have　thought　she　was　off　to　meet　a　lover。　Considering　what　Egwene　had　heard　about　Greens；　perhaps　there　was　not　that　much　difference。
　　　Back　among　the　tents；　the　last　of　the　fires　had　been　doused　with　dirt；　no　one　took　risks　with　fire　when　the　countryside　was　tinder　dry。　A　few　tendrils　of　smoke　rose　lazily　in　the　moonlight　where　the　job　had　not　been　well　done。　A　man　murmured　drowsily　in　his　sleep　inside　a　tent；　and　here　and　there　a　cough　drifted　out　or　a　rasping　snore；　but　otherwise　the　camp　lay　silent　and　still。　Which　was　why　Egwene　was　surprised　when　someone　stepped　from　the　shadows　in　front　of　her；　especially　someone　wearing　the　simple　white　dress　of　a　novice。
　　　〃Mother；　I　need　to　speak　to　you。〃
　　　〃Nicola？〃　Egwene　had　made　a　point　of　fixing　name　to　face　for　every　novice；　no　easy　chore　given　how　sisters　hunted　all　along　the　army's　path　for　girls　and　young　women　who　could　learn。　Active　search　was　still　not　well　thought　of　…　custom　was　to　wait　for　the　girl　to　ask；　best　of　all　to　wait　for　her　to　e　to　the　Tower　…　but　ten　times　as　many　novices　studied　in　the　camp　now　as　the　White　Tower　had　held　in　years。　Nicola　was　one　to　be　remembered；　though；　and　besides；　Egwene　had　often　noticed　the　young　woman　staring　at　her。　〃Tiana　won't　be　pleased　if　she　finds　you　up　this　late。〃　Tiana　Noselle　was　the　Mistress　of　Novices；　known　equally　for　a　forting　shoulder　when　a　novice　needed　to　cry　and　an　unyielding　stance　when　it　came　to　rules。
　　　The　other　woman　shifted　as　if　to　hurry　away；　then　straightened　her　back。　Sweat　glistened　on　her　cheeks。　The　darkness　was　cooler　than　the　light　had　been；　but　not　what　anyone　would　call　cool；　and　the　simple　trick　of　ignoring　heat　or　cold　came　only　with　the　shawl。　〃I　know　I'm　supposed　to　ask　to　see　Tiana　Sedai　and　then　ask　her　to　see　you；　Mother；　but　she'd　never　let　a　novice　approach　the　Amyrlin　Seat。〃
　　　〃About　what；　child？〃　Egwene　asked。　The　woman　was　older　by　six　or　seven　years　at　least；　but　that　was　the　proper　address　for　a　novice。
　　　Fidgeting　with　her　skirt；　Nicola　stepped　closer。　Large　eyes　met　Egwene's　perhaps　more　directly　than　a　novice's　should　have。　〃Mother；　I　want　to　go　as　far　as　I　can。〃　Her　hands　plucked　at　her　dress；　but　her　voice　was　cool　and　self…possessed；　fit　for　an　Aes　Sedai。　〃I　won't　say　they　are　holding　me　back；　but　I　am　sure　I　can　bee　stronger　than　they　say。　I　just　know　I　can。　You　were　never　held　back；　Mother。　No　one　has　ever　gained　so　much　of　her　strength　as　fast　as　you。　All　I　ask　is　the　same　chance。〃
　　　Movement　in　the　shadow　behind　Nicola　turned　into　another　sweaty…faced　woman；　this　one　in　short　coat　and　wide　trousers；　carrying　a　bow。　Her　hair　hung　to　her　waist　in　a　braid　tied　with　six　ribbons；　and　she　wore　short　boots　with　raised　heels。
　　　Nicola　Treehill　and　Areina　Nermasiv　seemed　an　odd　pair　to　be　friends。　Like　many　of　the　older　novices　…　women　with　nearly　ten　years　on　Egwene　were　tested　now；　though　many　sisters　still　grumbled　that　they　were　ten　years　too　old　to　accept　novice　discipline　…　like　many　of　those　older　women；　Nicola　was　ferocious　in　her　desire　to　learn；　by　all　reports；　and　she　had　a　potential　bettered　only　by　Nynaeve；　Elayne　and　Egwene　herself　among　living　Aes　Sedai。　In　fact；　Nicola　apparently　was　making　great　strides；　often　great　enough　that　her　teachers　had　to　slow　her　down。　Some　said　she　had　begun　picking　up　weaves　as　if　she　already　knew　them。　Not　only　that；　but　she　already　demonstrated　two　Talents；　although　the　ability　to　〃see〃　ta'veren　was　minor；　while　the　major　Talent；　Foretelling；　emerged　so　that　no　one　understood　what　she　had　Foretold。　She　herself　did　not　remember　a　word　she　said。　All　in　all；　Nicola　was　already　marked　by　the　sisters　as　someone　to　watch　despite　her　late　start。　The　begrudging　agreement　to　test　women　older　than　seventeen　or　eighteen　probably　could　be　laid　at　Nicola's　feet。
　　　Areina；　on　the　other　hand；　was　a　Hunter　for　the　Horn　who　swaggered　as　much　as　a　man　and　sat　around　talking　of　adventures；　those　she　had　had　and　those　she　would；　when　she　was　not　practicing　with　her　bow。　Very　likely　she　had　picked　that　weapon　up　from　Birgitte；　along　with　her　manner　of　dress。　She　certainly　seemed　to　have　no　interest　in　anything　beside　the　bow；　except　flirting　occasionally；　in　a　rather　forward　manner；　though　not　lately。　Perhaps　long　days　on　the　road　left　her　too　tired　for　it；　if　not　for　archery。　Why　she　was　still　traveling　with　them；　Egwene　could　not　understand；　it　was　hardly　likely　that　Areina　believed　the　Horn　of　Valere　would　turn　up　along　their　march；　and　impossible　that　she　even　suspected　it　was　hidden　away　inside　the　White　Tower。　Very　few　people　knew　that。　Egwene　was　not　certain　even　Elaida　did。
　　　Areina　seemed　a　posturing　fool；　but　Egwene　felt　a　certain　sympathy　for　Nicola。　She　understood　the　woman's　discontent；　understood　wanting　to　know　it　all　now。　She　had　been　that　way；　too。　Maybe　she　still　was。　〃Nicola；〃　she　said　gently；　〃we　all　have　limits。　I'll　never　match　Nynaeve　Sedai；　for　example；　whatever　I　do。〃
　　　〃But　if　I　could　only　have　the　chance；　Mother。〃　Nicola　actually　wrung　her　hands　in　pleading；　and　there　was　a　touch　of　it　in　her　voice；　yet　her　eyes　still　met　Egwene's　levelly。　〃The　chance　you　had。〃
　　　〃What　I　did　…　because　I　had　no　choice；　because　I　didn't　know　better　…　is　called　forcing；　Nicola；　and　it　is　dangerous。〃　She　had　not　heard　that　term　until　Siuan　apologized　for　doing　it　to　her；　that　was　one　time　Siuan　truly　had　seemed　repentant。　〃You　know　if　you　try　to　channel　more　of　saidar　than　you're　ready　to　handle；　you　risk　burning　yourself　out　before　you　ever　e　close　to　your　full　strength。　Best　you　learn　to　be　patient。　The　sisters　won't　let　you　be　anything　else　until　you　are　ready；　anyway。〃
　　　〃We　came　to　Salidar　on　the　same　riverboat　as　Nynaeve　and　Elayne；〃　Areina　said　suddenly。　Her　gaze　was　more　than　direct；　it　was　challenging。　〃And　Birgitte。〃　For　some　reason；　she　said　the　name　bitterly。
　　　Nicola　made　shushing　motions。　〃There's　no　need　to　bring　that　up。〃　Oddly；　she　did　not　sound　as　if　she　meant　it。
　　　Hoping　she　was　keeping　her　face　half　so　smooth　as　Nicola's；　Egwene　tried　to　quell　a　sudden　uneasiness。　〃Marigan〃　had　e　to　Salidar　on　that　boat；　too。　An　owl　hooted；　and　she　shivered。　Some　people　thought　hearing　an　owl　in　moonlight　meant　bad　news　was　ing。　She　was　not　superstitious；　but。。。　〃No　need　to　bring　up　what？〃
　　　The　other　two　women　exchanged　looks；　and　Areina　nodded。
　　　〃It　was　on　the　walk　from　the　river　to　the　village。〃　For　all　her　supposed　reluctance；　Nicola　peered　straight　into　Egwene's　eyes。　〃Areina　and　I　heard　Thom　Merrilin　and　Juilin　Sandar　talking。　The　gleeman；　and　the　thief…taker？　Juilin　said　if　there　were　Aes　Sedai　in　the　village　…　we　weren't　sure；　yet　…　and　they　learned　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　had　been　pretending　to　be　Aes　Sedai；　then　we　were　all　jumping　into　a　school　of　silverpike；　which　I　take　it　isn't　very　safe。〃
　　　〃The　gleeman　saw　us　and　hushed　him；〃　Areina　put　in；　fingering　the　quiver　at　her　waist；　〃but　we　heard。〃　Her　voice　was　hard　as　her　stare。
　　　〃I　know　they're　both　Aes　Sedai　now；　Mother；　but　wouldn't　they　still　be　in　trouble　if　anyone　found　out？　The　sisters；　I　mean？　Anybody　who　pretends　to　be　a　sister　is　in　trouble　if　they　find　out；　even　years　later。〃　Nicola's　face　did　not　change；　but　her　gaze　suddenly　seemed　to　be　trying　to　fix　Egwene's。　She　leaned　a　little　forward；　intent。　〃Anybody　at　all。　Isn't　that　so？〃
　　　Emboldened　by　Egwene's　silence；　Areina　grinned。　An　unpleasant　grin　in　the　night。　〃I　hear　Nynaeve　and　Elayne　were　sent　out　of　the　Tower　on　some　task　by　the　Sanche　woman　back　when　she　was　Amyrlin。　I　hear　you　were　sent　off　by　her；　too；　at　the　same　time。　Got　into　all　sorts　of　trouble　when　you　came　back。〃　Sly　insinuation　slithered　into　her　voice。　〃Do　you　remember　them　playing　at　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　They　stood　there　looking　at　her；　Areina　leaning　insolently　on　her　bow；　Nicola　so　expectant　the　air　should　have　crackled。
　　　〃Siuan　Sanche　is　Aes　Sedai；〃　Egwene　said　coldly；　〃and　so　are　Nynaeve　al'Meara　and　Elayne　Tra